Shoe-tree.



E. J. KOBERT.

SHOE TREE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 22, 1912.

1,062, 1 65, Patented May 20, 1913.

I WITNESSES Z6 IHVENTOH OW m monizrs EDWARD J. KOBERT, OF WOODSIIDE, N YORK.

SHOE-TREE.

osaics.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20, 1-913.

Application filed November 22, 1912. Serial No. 732;850.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. KosER'r, a citizen of the United States, and residing atlVoodside, Long Island, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Trees, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The Object of this invention is to provide a shoe-tree which is simple in construction and operation, andwhich may be more easily and conveniently inserted into a shoe and operated than other devices of this class as usually constructed, and with this and other objects in view the invention consists in a device of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention described and claimed herein is an improvemei'it on that described and claimed in an application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me May 7,

1912, Serial No. 695,593, and said invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a shoe and showing my improved shoe-tree, part of the construction being broken away and section; Fig. '2 a plan view-of the shoe tree and showing one feature of its operation;

' 1ngs'27 wlth enlarged openings 29 to receive and, Fig. 3 a section on the line 3'3 of Fig. 2.

In the practice of my invention, I provide a heel block 1, said block being provided with a front face plate 2, and the back and side surfaces thereof being adapted to fit the back and side portions of the heel part of a shoe. I also provide a toe block 3 which is divided centrally and longitudinally into two similar parts 4;, preferably made of sheet metal, and comprising inner side plates 5, bottom frame members 6, and side and top shell portions 7, and the parts 4 of the toe block are pivoted together at their front ends as shown at 8. I also provide an oblong casing or barrel 9 which is Ushaped in cross section and open at the top and the side portions 10 of which are passed through an aperture 11 in the front face plate 2 of the 1 6 1 101 01; 1, and pivoted inwardly of said face plate as shown at 12, and said barrel or casing is free to swing vertically.

Movable longitudinally through the barrel or casing 9 is a ratchet bar 13 having teeth 14: in its upper edge, and the barrel or casing 9 is provided rearwardly of its front end with raised ears 32 between which is pivoted a pawl 15 having a. nose 16 which operates in connection with the teeth of the bar 13, and said pawl is provided with a -backwardly and upwardly "directed handle 17, and placed under said pawl is a spring 18 which holds it in operative position.

The barrel or casing 9 is also provided near its rear end with raised ears 19 between which is pivoted a lever '20, and pivoted to the lever '20 at 21 is a 'dog 22 which extends forwardly and is provided with a nose 23 which also operates in connection with the teeth 11- of the bar 13 and the rear -end portion of the barrel or casing 9 is open at the top to permit of the free operation of the dog 22 and the front end portion of said barrel or casing is also open at the top to permit of the operation of the pawl 15. The front end of the bar 13 is provided with an oblong block "or head 21 in which said bar is pivoted at25, and pivoted in the front end portion of said block or head are twolin'ks 26 which extend through corresponding slots or openings 27 in the inner plates 5 of the parts 4 of the toe block, and are pivoted in said parts 4: at 28, and the plates 5 of the parts a of the toe block are provided rearwardly of the slots or openthe block or head 21 when the side members With the above construction it will beseen that when the lever 20 is forced forwardly the dog 22 will operate to force the bar 13 and the toe block 3, forwardly and by swinging said lever forwardly and backwardly the toe block may be forced into the toe of the shoe to any desired extent, and in this operation the separate parts of the toe block will also be expanded as shown in Fig. 2.

The heel block 1 is formed so as to closely fit the heel portion of the shoe, and in the above operation the pawl 15 serves to hold the toe block and bar 13 in any position into which it may be forced by the lever 20 and dog 22, and when it is desired to remove the ree fr m the shoe the lever 20 is moved backwardly, the dog 22 raised and the handle part 17 of the pawl 15 is depressed and the barrel or casing 9 may be moved forwardly on the bar 13, or the bar 13 may be moved backwardly in the barrel or casing 9 and the tree may be easily removed from the shoe in the usual way.

The rear end portion of the bar 18 is provided with a longitudinal slot 30 and a pin 31 is passed through the barrel or casing 9 and through said slot, and this will prevent the bar 13 from being entirely detached from the barrel or casing.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A shoe-tree comprising a heel block and a toe block, a barrel or casing pivoted in the front portion of the heel block and having parallel side members, a bar pivoted in the toe block and movable longitudinally through said barrel or casing and the top edge of which is provided with ratchet teeth, a lever pivoted to the rear end portion of said barrel or casing and provided with a ratchet dog which operates in connection with said teeth, and a spring operated lock pawl piv-' oted in the top of the front end portion of the barrel or casing and operating in con nection with said ratchet teeth.

2. A shoe tree comprising a heel block and a toe block, a longitudinally ranging member pivoted in the front portion of the heel block, a bar pivoted in the toe block and movable longitudinally of and in connection with said member and the top edge of which is provided with ratchet teeth, a lever pivoted to the rear end portion of said member and provided with a ratchet dog which operates in connection with said teeth, a spring operated lock pawl pivoted to the front portion of said member and also operating in connection with said ratchet teeth.

8. A shoe tree comprising a heel block and a toe block divided centrally and longitudinally into separate parts pivotally connected at their front ends, a longitudinally ranging member pivoted in the front portion of the heel block, a ratchet bar movable longitudinally of and in connection with said member, the front end of which is provided with pivoted links which are pivotally connected with the separate parts of the toe block, a lever pivoted to the rear end portion of said member, a ratchet dog pivoted to said lever and operating in connection with the teeth of said ratchet bar, and a spring operated pawl pivoted to the front end portion of said member and also operating in connection with the teeth of said bar.

4. A shoe tree comprising a heel block and a toe block divided centrally and longitudinally into separate parts pivotally connected at their front ends, a longitudinally ranging member pivoted in the front portion of the heel block, a ratchet bar movable longitudi nally of and in connection with said member, the front end of which is provided with pivoted links which are pivotally connected with the separate parts of the toe block, hand operated devices for forcing said ratchet bar forwardly, and an automatic device forpreventing the backward movement of said bar. a

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my invention I have signed my name in.

presence of the subscribing witnesses this 21st day of November 1912.

EDWARD J. KOBERT.

Witnesses C. MULREANY, S. ANDREWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

